Typewriting and like machines



Nov. 4, 1958 L. SALMON 2,858,923

TYPEWRITING AND LIKE MACHINES Filed Aug. 13, 1 95"! 6 Sheets-Sheet lNov. 4, 1958 L.,$ALMON 2,858,923

TYPEWRITING AND LIKE MACHINES Filed Aug. 13, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 l nventor 1 9M0 wv/ a A torney Nov. 4, 1958 L. SALMON 2,358,923

. TYPEWRITING AND LIKE MACHINES Filed Aug. 15, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet sfig. 5.

3/ was-- Inventor A/ QK m a Y Attorney Filed Aug. 13, 1957 Nov. 4, 1958L. SALMON 2,853,923

TYPEWRITING AND LIKE MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor 4g, SZz/mm M/25%Attorney L. SALMON TYPEWRITING AND LIKE MACHINES.

Nov. 4, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 13, 1957 j n m l Tn W m 7% n EC 3 o Q Q I Q @W Z Nov. 4, 1958 SALMON 2,858,923

TYPEWRITING AND LIKE MACHINES Filed Aug. 15, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Fig.11

INVENTOR.

Lily Salmon BY AJTORNEY.

United States Patent I 2,858,923 TYPEWRITIN G AND LIKE MACHINES LilySalmon, London, England Application August 13, 1957, Serial No. 677,867Claims priority, application Great Britain June 12, 1957 7 Claims. (Cl.197-8) This invention relates to typewriting and like machines of thekind wherein typeheads are caused to strike, directly or through aribbon, a paper or other sheet supported at the rear by a platen.

It is well known in the art to provide a shift mechanism wherebydifferent parts of a typehead are caused to give an impression. Eitherthe typehead may always act at the same relative height, the platenbeing raised or lowered as required, or again the platen is caused toremain at the same relative height and the typehead raised or lowered,e. g. the entire typehead and typebar basket in the case of some commonforms of typewriter.

In some instances it may be desirable to have the positionalrelationship between the typehead andstriker element variableselectively so as to give more than two positions. This occursparticularly where it is an essential, of the typescript to be formed,that some impressions shall be shifted vertically with respect to othersover a relatively Wide range, e. g. in the typing or printing of music.

Where the typescript impressions to be formed are to be shiftedvertically in order to determine the relative position in which-they areprinted upon the paper only one symbol may be carried upon each typebar' head or face, whilst, in order that any symbol may be typed uponthe paper over a relatively wide vertical space, it is essential thatthe paper should be supported by a vertical striker plate or platen.Thus, where music is to be typed, it is necessary that any symbol may beable to be typed at any point over a vertical range equivalent to oneoctave, the position being able to be changed in a stepwise manner, eachstep being equivalent to one eighth of an octave.

The object of the present invention is to provide means whereby thepositional relationship of striker element and typehead can be variedselectively in a positive manner and providing more than two possiblepositions of location.

According to the present invention, means for providing step-by-steprelative shift motion of a striker element and the type in a typewriteror like printing machine comprise a series of camming elements coupledto the relatively movable part such that rotation of the cammingelements causes alteration of the relative shift position thereof, and acorresponding-number of shift levers coacting each with a cammingelement for movement of the camming element into a predetermined endposition, the series of camming elements being arranged such that theirend positions each provide a selectable shift position of the movablepart.

The camming elements may be secured in fixed relationship on a commonshaft, said shaft being in turn coupled to the movable part, e. g. byhaving a crank linked to the movable part.

Such camming elements may be, for example, discs with a chordal ordiametral camming surface along which the shift lever abuts in the endposition.

Preferably, means are included for step-by-step springlarly describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective elevation of a music typewriter,

only those details relevant to the shift mechanism being described andshown.

Fig. 2 is an underplan view.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation to show linkage and a step motiondevice controlling the shift of the typebar basket. I Fig. 4 is afragmentary perspective elevation of the shift mechanism elements.

Fig. 5 is a plan of adjacent keysin a particular arrangement convenientfor music typing.

Fig. 6 is a detail showing the arrangement of the indicator mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a detail showing the construction of a transport mechanism formoving the paper through a distance corresponding to one octave.

Fig. 8 is' aperspective showing the arrangement of the paper-supportingplaten. r

Fig. 9 is a plan showing a complete type face which may be used upon amachine according to the present invention, and t Fig. 10 is a plan viewof a keyboard for use with the type face shown in Fig. 9.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary side elevation to show linkage and a stepmotion device controlling the shift of a typewriter carriage. t

The music typing machine illustrated is of the kind wherein the strikerplate remains unchanged in height .on the frame, although movablenormally laterally,

whilst the entire basket of type bars, operated through any suitablelinkage from keys, is shiftable vertically with respect to the strikerplate so as to permit the impression of the type head tobe formed at thedesired position on the usual stave lines of the music. As aconsiderable vertical range of movement is necessary, either a very deepribbon must be used, or the whole typed by carbon paper or like meansagainst the flat vertical striker plate.

Referring firstly to Fig. 3, there is illustrated the parallelogramvertical movement linkage of the type bar basket. An upper fixed frameelement 1 has a pivot carrying an arm 2 pivoted at 3 to a frame 4 of thetype bar basket 5. YA second lower fixed frame element'6 has a pivot 7carrying an arm 8 pivoted at 9 to the lower part of the frame 4 of thebasket. The basket 5 can thus move vertically by parallelogram movementabout the pivots at the left hand ends of the arms 2 and 8. The wholesystem is duplicated at the far side for symmetry.

Iournalled in suitable bearings (not shown) in the machine frame is across shaft 10 having a short crank 11 bearing a pivot 12 coupling oneend of a link 13 the other end of which is coupled by a pivot 14 to alug 15 integrally formed on the frame 4 of the type bar basket. Thus, asthe shaft 10 rotates clockwise the basket 5 is lowered, and vice versa.The shaft also has secured thereon a quadrant 16 with notches 17. On thelower fixed frame element 6 is a pivot 18 carrying an arm 19 having atits free end a roller 20 capable of seating into the notches 17. Aspring 21, secured at its upper end to the frame, bears against the arm19 and urges the roller 20 into the selected notch 17. The shaft 10 canthus be rotated and will be located firmly by each notch in turn, givingpredetermined positions of raising of the basket 5.

Referring now to Fig. 4, in which the cross shaft 10 is seen with itslinkage crank 11 and notched quadrant 16, the shaft 10 has securedthereon eight cam elements 22. each of which is in the form of a soliddisc having an approximately semi-circular recess 23 cut in from thecircumference. The discs are secured on the shaft 10 at equallyrotationally shifted positions from one end to the other. Mounted in theframe of the machine is a pivot shaft 24 carrying in rotatable mannereight cam operating levers 25, only two of the series being illustrated,for the sake of clarity in the drawing. Each lever 25 is engaged at oneend in the recess of its cam disc. Downward pressure on the other end ofeach lever will thus cause it to rotate its cam disc, and thus also thecross shaft 10, until the edge of the lever lies flat along theapproximately diametral base of the cam disc recess. In the drawing thefourth cam is in this position with its lever. Springs 26 are providedto urge the levers 25 normally away from their cams. To the other end ofeach lever is pivoted a shift key 26a having a finger plate 27 andemerging at the front of the machine adjacent the usual keys, as seen inFig. 1. Any suitable slideway device (not shown) keeps the shift keys26a aligned but vertically movable.

With the cross shaft 10 in any one of its selectable positions ofrotation corresponding to a particular height of the type bar basketwith respect to the striker plate, the depression of any one of theother shift keys 2611 will result in the associated lever 25 moving theassociated cam 22 until fully located, bringing the cross shaft 10 intoa new position of rotation and the type bar basket to the new heightselected. Any shift key 26a can be operated at any time, irrespective ofthe position of rotation of the cross shaft at that time.

In practice, when the machine is being used, the operator can select theheight at which successive type impressions will be made, and in apositive manner, by merely depressing the appropriate shift key 26a. Byway of example, for a regular ascension, such vas in a rising scale inmusic, the shift keys 26a would be operated in sequence from left toright, between each type bar operation.

In order that an operator might at any time immediately ascertain atwhich selected height the machine is set, a visual indicator (Fig. 6)may be provided which is operated by the type basket 5 and which moveswith the type basket. A preferred form of indicator takes the form of amasking plate 41 moved by a linkage 42 suitably connected to the typebasket mechanism over eight adjacent lines 43 which are stepped by adistance representing one eighth of an octave. The masking plate has aslot 44 through which one or other of said lines becomes visibleaccording to the position of the type basket and masking plate and thelines may be marked according to a suitable notation so that themarkings may be seen through the slot. The indicator may suitably bepositioned upon the vertical face of the machine upon the side of thekeyboard remote from the operator.

Referring to Fig. 5, there is seen an arrangement of typehead elementswhich permits continuous ascending lines to be typed. It is necessaryfor the line type 29 to be long enough to joint at each time of use withits own previous impression, so as to give a continuous line, assumingthat the shift key mechanism is operated step by step as necessary. Theline type block 30 is therefore made somewhat longer and wider toaccommodate it. In a normal type bar basket this would not leave roomfor the next type bar, but in the arrangement shown the adjacent typehead 31 has to be shortened appropriately, permitting the two to fit oneadjacent the other.

When the typewriter is used, the paper is held against a flat platen 38which may be rubber faced, thereby to allow for the relatively largevertical height of the paper which may be used at a time. Since it hasbeen found 4 that the normal form of paper-retaining rollers does notallow the paper to advance smoothly when the paper is to be movedvertically, these are replaced by retaining plates 39 which serve tohold the paper in abutment with the platen. This arrangement is shown indetail in Fig. 8. It will be appreciated that the larger vertical heightof paper which is used at the one time necessitates the use of a verywide typewriter ribbon. Alternatively, it may be preferred to use themachine without a ribbon and to produce all of the typed copies by theuse of carbon paper.

In addition to the cross feed which is obtained by manipulation of thespace bar 37, and the vertical feed which can be obtained by rotation ofthe carriage roller, levers 40 and 45 are provided which serve to liftand lower the paper by an amount equivalent to exactly one octave.

A suitable arrangement of the lever for racking up the paper by anamount equivalent to one octave is shown in detail in Fig. 7. Movementof the lever 40 in the direction indicated by the arrow 46 causes thepawl 47 to engage the ratchet teeth 48 to move the roller 49 in thedirection indicated by the arrow 50. When the roller has been movedthrough an appropriate distance the member 51 comes up against the stopwhich prevents its moving further. When the lever 40 is released aspring carries it back to its original position.

In Fig. 9 a complete set of type heads is shown in the form in whichthey may be arranged upon a typewriter. It will be seen that theindividual type faces are of several different widths ranging from oneto two or more times the normal width of a type bar face. By extendingthe principle described with reference to Fig. 5, the type face can beconstructed in such a manner that although certain of the type faceblocks are wider than others, each may be used without interfering withor coming into contact with adjacent blocks.

In Fig. 10 there is shown a typical keyboard which might be used withthe type basket illustrated in Fig. 6. In this, the keys 27 are theshift keys which will move the type basket relative to the platen ineight steps over a distance representing one octave. The remaining keysrepresent the symbols which are used to build up the musical notation.These are arranged in groups which are shown joined together by thelines 33, the group 34 and the group 35 being groups of keys which willnormally be used in association with each other, whilst the remaininggroups of keys 36 are those which may be used independently or togetherwith the keys of either of the other groups. Since it is not desirablethat the carriage should advance by one space each time a key isdepressed, as it will sometimes be necessary to depress more than onekey before it is desired to space the carriage without depressing a key,the space bar 37 represents the only means for advancing the carriage inspacewise crossfeed.

It will be appreciated that in the foregoing specific descriptionreference has been made to a typewriter in which the type basket risesand falls relative to the frame and carriage of the machine when theshift keys are manipulated. By a number of relatively small and minorchanges the same effect can be obtained in a typewriter in which thecarriage rises and falls relative to the type basket and frame by themanipulation of the shift keys.

In Figure 11 of the drawings there is illustrated a parallelogramvertical movement linkage of the typewriter carriage. An upper fixedframe element 51 has a pivot carrying an arm 52 pivoted at 53 to a frame54 of the typewriter carriage supporting member 55. A typewritercarriage including a revolvable roll 56 is reciprocally mounted on thecarriage supporting member 55 as known in the art. A second lower fixedframe element 57 has a pivot 58 carrying an arm 59 pivoted at 60 to thelower part of the frame 54 of the typewriter carriage support member 55.The carriage support member 55 can thus move vertically by parallelogrammovement at the lefthand ends of the arms 52 and 59. The whole system isduplicated at the far side for symmetry.

Journalled in suitable bearings (not shown) a cross shaft 61 having ashort crank 62 hearing a pivot 63 coupling one end of a link 64 theother end of which is coupled by a pivot 65 to a lug 66 integrallyformed on the frame 54 of the typewriter carriage. Thus, as the shaft 61rotates clockwise the carriage 56 is lowered, and vice-versa. The shaft61 also has secured thereon a quadrant 67 with notches 68. On the lowerfixed frame element 57 there is a pivot 69 carrying an arm 70 having atits free end a roller 71 capable of fitting into notches 68. A spring72, secured at its upper end to the frame, bears against the arm 70 andurges the roller 71 into the selected notch 68. The shaft 61 can thus berotated and will be located firmly by each notch in turn, givingpredetermined positions of raising of the typewriter carriage 56. Theshaft 61 is operated by a duplicate mechanism to that illustrated inFigure 3 of the drawings and hereinbefore described. It being observedin Figure 3 that the quadrant 16 and the shaft duplicate quadrant 67 andthe shaft 61 of the modification of Figure 11. It will thus be seen thatthe invention hereinbefore disclosed may be applied to typewriters inwhich the carriage rises and falls relative to the type basket andframe.

Having thus disclosed my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a typewriter, having a striker element, a type bar basket and aplurality of typeheads, means for providing step-by-step relative shiftmotion between said striker element and said type heads, comprising aseries of camming elements coupled to said type b'ar basket such thatrotation of the camming elements causes alteration of the relative shiftposition thereof, and a corresponding number of shift levers coactingeach with a camming element for movement of the camming element into apredetermined end position, the series of camming elements beingarranged such that their end positions each provide a selectable shifttype bar basket.

2,. In a typewriter, shift means as claimed in claim 1 wherein thecamming elements are secured in fixed relationship on a common shaft,the shaft being coupled to said type bar basket.

3. In a typewriter, shift means as claimed in claim 2, wherein the shafthas a crank linked to said type bar basket.

4. In a typewriter, shift means as claimed in claim I wherein thecamming elements are discs with a diametral camming surface along whichthe shift lever abuts in the end position.

5. In a typewriter, shift means as claimed in claim 1 including meansfor step by step spring-loaded location of said type bar basket.

6. In a typewriter, shift means as claimed in claim 2 wherein aperipherally notched quadrant is secured on the shaft and aspring-loaded pawl is arranged to seat releasably in the notches,thereby to provide step-'by-step spring-loaded location of the shaft inrotation.

7. In a typewriter, having a vertically movable carriage including astriker element, a type bar assembly and a plurality of typeheads, meansfor providing step by step relative shift motion between said strikerelement and said type heads, comprising a series of camming elementscoupled to said carriage such that rotation of the camming elementscauses alteration of the relative shift position thereof, and acorresponding num ber of shift levers co-acting each with a cammingelement for movement of the camming element and into a predetermined endposition, the series of camming elements being arranged such that theirend positions each provide a selectable shift position of said carriage.

position of said References Cited in the file of this patent UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 2,542,632 Molin Feb. 20, 1951

